A classic and highly influential ethnography, which explores political leadership among Swat Pathans - and which emphasizes the importance of individual decision-making for wider social processes.

Political leadership among Swat Pathans

Kin Classification in the Karakorum

Pakistani society depicts a vivid picture of inequality in property ownership with prenatal preference to inheritance for sons over daughters. The customary law under the clutches of patriarchy is only meant for male dominating female in all social spheres. The main purpose of this study is to explore the extents of traditional approaches to feud settlement regarding inheritance as the main reason of dysfunctional legal system in the study area. A sample size of 182 respondents was randomly selected of those respondents who had at least 10 acres of land. Frequency distribution of data was observed to have a comprehensive data layout. Moreover, Chi square (χ 2 ) statistics was used to determine the level of association between dependant variable (Feud Settlement) with the independent variables (Customary Practices of Inheritance). Majority (78.0%) of the respondents believed that Jirga played an important role in transformation of inheritance while curtailing the chances of inheritance feuds through application of traditional practices. Most (89.6%) of the respondents disclosed that patriarchal system favors male members of the family in respect of transferring of property. At bi-variate level, Jirga played a vital role in the transformation of inheritance in case of conflict and had a significant association (p=0.039) with feud settlement. Moreover, dowry to be considered as a share in inheritance of family had a significant association (p=0.005) with feud settlement. The study depicted that strong patriarchal system was influencing the inheritance practices in favor of male gender. In addition, Pakhtoon culture, being conservative and prejudice, was found to be the core impediment in the smooth transmission of equal property rights to both the gender. Women’s participation in the traditional mechanism of resolving the issue of inheritance and speedy court system could lead to the mitigation of inheritance related feuds at family level.

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Understanding Perceptions about the Role of Traditional Practices of Inheritance With Relation To Feud Settlement

Scholarly interest in religio-political movements in the Muslim world has increased dramatically in recent times. Given the considerable variety of movements that are inspired by Islam, it is imperative that overly general and descriptive analyses be avoided in favor of thoroughly contextualized studies of individual movements. In this article I adopt an interdisciplinary approach bridging the fields of history, anthropology, and politics to study the emergence of what I call the "new jihad in Swat" in northern Pakistan spearheaded by the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariati-Muhammadi (TNSM) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Acknowledging the importance of the wider geopolitical environment, I argue that the rise of the TNSM and TTP is a function of the historical salience of Islamic (jihad) idiom in Pashtun society, localized sources of discontent, and historical-structural changes that have facilitated the emergence of a distinct agenda of "Shariatization." My findings are based on extensive interaction with Swatis, both in their homes and workplaces, over an extensive period. I have also interviewed many who have been residing in refugee camps after May 2009. I conclude that the wider geostrategic environment, class, and other social cleavages in Swat and the ideational power of Islam ensure that spaces for the "new jihad" will continue to proliferate in Swat and its environs.

Islam as Ideology of Tradition and Change: The "New Jihad" in Swat, Northern Pakistan

In explaining political violence, Conflict and Security Studies commonly focuses on the rational decision-making of elites. In contrast, this article considers the everyday aspirations of rebel grassroots. Understanding their lifeworlds is important as their interaction with rebel elites shapes the collective trajectories of revolutionary movements and, thus, wider dynamics of war and peace. This article analyzes the social practice of revolutionary karaoke music in Myanmar’s Kachin rebellion as a window into these hidden social dynamics of political violence. It does so by merging a relational reading of rebel figurations with a visual ethnographic methodology that moves beyond the textual study of propaganda lyrics. Instead, it analyzes the audio-visual aesthetics and social practices of revolutionary karaoke. This critical mode of enquiry reveals the emotional dimension of rebellion, i.e. its appeal to affect rather than reason. It also suggests that revolutionary cultural artefacts can be more than just instrumental propaganda vehicles for instilling elite ideologies into un-agential masses. Indeed, the article shows that many young Kachin are not just passive consumers of propaganda. In karaoke bars and music studios, they actively perform rebellion. In so doing, they co-produce their own rebel subjectivities and rebel political culture at large.

Performing Rebellion: Karaoke as a Lens into Political Violence

(1994). The Informal Social Control of Homicide. The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law: Vol. 26, No. 34, pp. 31-59.

Political leadership among Swat Pathans

Citations

Kin Classification in the Karakorum

Understanding Perceptions about the Role of Traditional Practices of Inheritance With Relation To Feud Settlement

Islam as Ideology of Tradition and Change: The "New Jihad" in Swat, Northern Pakistan

Performing Rebellion: Karaoke as a Lens into Political Violence

The Informal Social Control of Homicide

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